Sabiha Erbakan-El-Zayat is a medical doctor by profession and works especially in the field of counselling with Muslim women . In addition she has studied protestant theology and philosophy and is one of the leading lecturers of the centre for Muslim women studies and women empowerment ZIF, based in Cologne. She wrote numerous articles and studies and lectured on issues related to Islam and medicine, Islam and philosophy, the position of Islam and women and issues related to the Muslim integration in Europe.

She is in addition a member in the Annemarie-Schimmel Forum, an interreligious initiative in Germany following the tradition of the famous scholar in Islamic Studies.